The Benefits of Academic Coaching for US

Medical Students
Most people associate the idea of coaching with athletes. Those athletes determined to be “coachable”
tend towards having the most success in their pursuits. Why?

The idea is very simple. Through the art of coaching, a naturally talented athlete can refine their skills
and work on their weaknesses. The same premise can be applied to medical students.

Why Medical Students Need Coaching

Medical students who seek out academic coaching opportunities show a strong, innate desire to
improve themselves. This self-improving eagerness shows dedication towards their chosen field of
study, which most often translates towards a more skilled physician.

Those students who do not pursue academic coaching opportunities while in medical school, however,
would not benefit from the experience anyway. Coaching is a “program” of sorts, which requires
absolute want. If a student does not want coaching, they will not dedicate themselves in such a manner
as to make it beneficial.

The Benefits of Medical Coaching

There are numerous benefits associated with medical coaching. Below we look at some of the biggest
benefits.

Achieving Goals: Students who participate in academic coaching are advised to create both long- and
short-term goals. This gives the coaching a direction and ensures that those goals are met. The coach
will help align studies, extra curriculars, and activities towards achieving those goals students set.

Improve Test Scores: Medical coaching can help significantly improve test scores, which are vital in the
quest to become a licensed physician. While many students and coaches warn not to set benchmarks on
tests, the results are the same. Students who took advantage of academic coaching opportunities while
in medical school saw higher test results.

Create Higher Self-Confidence: A coach is not like a teacher or mentor. They will not tell you exactly what
you should do, nor will they lay out some grandmaster scheme which aligns all their pupils on the same
path. The true key in coaching is the creation of higher self-confidence and a better realization of what
needs to be done. This is vital, as it equips students with vital self-regulation skills necessary for the
workplace after schooling.

Understanding and Developing Strengths: Each person is a unique individual possessing specific
strengths. A person’s strength, for example, may lay in an ability to ace tests. Alternatively, a person
may do amazing at studying but has testing fears that lower their scores. One student may excel in
textbook studies while another does better in hands-on clinicals. Coaching can help students understand
and develop these strengths, so they become the most beneficial.

Understanding and Mitigating Weaknesses: Just as everyone has their own unique strengths so do they
have weaknesses. While it is never possible to entirely do away with weakness, it is possible to mitigate
them. By understand where a person’s weaknesses lay, it is possible to hone them to be the least
disruptive. For example, if someone suffers testing fear than learning coping techniques would be highly
beneficial.